← Return to Scanxiety: How did you get through scanxiety?

Discussion

Scanxiety: How did you get through scanxiety?

Lung Cancer | Last Active: Feb 9, 2021 | Replies (27)
Comment receiving replies
@colleenyoung

Not surprisingly, scanxiety is an often discussed topic. Here are a couple of related discussions:
- Waiting for scan results. Is this part of scanxiety? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/waiting-for-scan-results-is-this-part-of-scanxiety/
– Coping with anxiety while waiting https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/coping-with-anxiety-while-waiting/

@ta52, I love your question "How did you get through scanxiety?" In fact, I added that question to the title of this discussion and added it to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms group as well as the Lung Cancer group. It's a good question to help gather tips from fellow members.

@roch @earscan @bluelagoon @grandpabob @Paula_MAC2007 @klpetts @bruto1 How do you get through scanxiety? What tips do you offer?

Jump to this post

Replies to "Not surprisingly, scanxiety is an often discussed topic. Here are a couple of related discussions: -..."
Bob, Alumni Mentor | @grandpabob | Jan 16, 2021

@ta52, I tried to incorporate a few different things prior to the scans. One that helped a lot was doing a bit of meditating. I have an AP on my phone called “Calm”, which I find effective. I am sure there are many similar apps out there that are available. I also do a lot of walking to alleviate stress. While walking, I work hard at noticing what is around me rather than what is in me. Another way for me was to not Goggle any symptoms or past results. My doctor told me early in my treatment that this in many cases leads to unnecessary anxiety.

Waiting for the results for me is always harder than the scans themselves.

WIll you let us know what works best for you?

VIEW AND REPLY
Tom Anderson | @ta52 | Jan 17, 2021

@colleenyoung Thanks, Colleen! As mentioned before, it's akin to taking the biggest test in your life but you can't study for it since you've never been here before. I know and the doctors know there's been tumor shrinkage so I'm not going to "flunk" the test but at the same time I know I'm not going to be cancer free after just four infusions to I won't "ace" it either.

Thanks, Colleen, for the links and tips; they're a great distraction, too. Tomorrow is the big day (at least for me!) at Mayo!

VIEW AND REPLY